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Chapter 2 - Sword of Spirits
"I'll come with you to Caelin."
The words still echoed in Rei's head as the shrine came into view. Standing as it did two day's ride from Bulgar, the shrine had had a small village grow up around it to cater to the pilgrims who visited. Lyn had spoken those words after breakfast, saying that she felt she had no choice... they hadn't spoken as to what Rei would do. The tactician had decided to stay quiet until after they'd seen the shrine.
It wasn't much to look at. A blocky, flat-roofed building with a single floor. Small, round windows studded the shrine's sides, and access was gained through a double pair of doors at one end.
"This is the Shrine of the Spirits. My people come here to pray before going on a long journey."
"How... quaint." Sain murmured. He sounded half torn between bemusement and dislike.
"It's good to see that here, at least, the old customs are followed." Kent expanded. "Since the worship of Saint Elimine has spread to most of Elibe…" there, he gave a not-so-subtle glare to Sain.
"The treasure-sword, Mani Katti, is enshrined here. It's said to be a sword without equal - a perfect blade."
"Such has also been said about many swords." Rei smiled to take the sting from her words. "I wish to see this sword... my people often revere such things. A sword that has never been bloodied is pure... but one steeped in death and use may hold great power."
No one seemed to be able to reply to that, so they started walking their horses into the village. Suddenly, a young woman came out from around the low wall surrounding the shrine and ran towards them.
"Please! You're mercenaries, aren't you? You have to help the priest! It's that Glass and his gang, I think they plan to steal the Mani Katti!"
"What? But..." Lyn frowned. "Of course we'll help. Boys, lets go." She drew her sword and pushed her horse's reins into Rei's hands. The two knights took their own swords from the sheaths on their saddles, and Rei took their horses' reins as well.
"Be careful in there..." the Kanhi girl smiled, and Lyn nodded before running the last hundred meters to the shrine with Kent and Sain hot on her heels.
"They'll be ok." the woman said, encouragingly, seeing the worried look on Rei's face.
"I hope so..." Rei replied, watching the door as shouts and the sound of metal on metal rung out.
"So which one's yours? The redhead, or the one with the headband?"
"What!" Rei gaped at the woman. "Neither! I..."
"Oh, so the Lady has them both? That can't feel too good."
"You… no! It's not like that; we only just met up with them. We're travelling together, that's all." Rei scowled. "Besides, half the time I think they might be in love with each other…"
"Hah. That would be a shame... still, at least it means they won't miss you." The woman's voice held a vicious tone on the last note.
"Wh-what?" Rei turned to look at her, eyes widening, then threw herself back to avoid a dagger. She dropped the horses rein's to pull out one of her own.
"Seems you've got quite the future... too bad you won't live to experience it." The woman lunged twice with the dagger, and Rei was forced to parry one blow with her own and dodge the other.
"Assassin... who do you work for? Is there really someone trying to steal the sword?" Rei launched an attack of her own, but the thrust was poorly aimed and went wide.
"Yes... they'd never have thought of it on their own, but I don't suppose that really matters. Small-time crooks." Rei caught the dagger in the hole on her own this time, and held it there in a lock.
"Who employs you? Why do they want to get rid of me?"
"The Lord of a Thousand Plagues... and all that I know is that he wants you gone. Goodbye." The woman's other arm came up, throwing a dagger that had been concealed. The blade tangled in the folds of Rei's cloak, however, missing flesh, and a moment later the assassin was knocked flying by a well-placed kick from a fully grown Sacaean Warsteed mare. She impacted against a tree with a second sickening crunch, before falling to the ground in a crumpled heap. Hunt stamped the ground, satisfied, and went back to flirting with Sain's warhorse.
"Thanks..." Rei muttered to the horse as her heart rate returned to normal. Moving over to the assassin's body, she grimaced before nudging it with her foot. It was dead. Squinting down, she noticed a small tattoo on the base of the woman's neck that had been covered by her collar. A tiny fang, done in black ink. A moment later, the tattoo faded as though it had never been. Rei frowned and returned to the horses, gathering reins and walking them up to the shrine. She tied them on to the fence post before heading into the shrine.
Three bodies lay on the floor. Axes lay by two of them - one a hatchet, the other a proper waraxe. The third had a sword. Metal clanged on metal a moment later, making Rei look up. By the altar, Lyn was fighting a man with blonde hair. The two seemed fairly evenly matched, and Lyn had taken to wielding her scimitar two-handed in an effort to smash through the swordsman's guard. Kent and Sain stood nearby, looking for an opening to try and break the stalemate. Rei knew that they couldn't get involved without seriously risking Lyn's life, since any distractions would cause her to possibly lose her defence.
"How can you be so strong!" The man growled, then lunged with his longsword. The blow was parried and knocked past, but the sheathed sword in the swordsman's other hand came up and used the opening to hilt-punch Lyn in the stomach and drive the air from her lungs. She stumbled backwards, only just managing to her a hand up in time to catch the blade against the palm of her glove.
"You keep a sharp sword..." the Sacaean woman told the thug, before bringing her sword up and driving the point up into his neck, past the poorly-raised scabbard of the Mani Katti.
"No… I am... Glass... I cannot..." Glass gurgled, before expiring. Lyn let him down slowly as the others moved up.
"He was... pretty tough." Rei murmured. "I think his sword is worth taking..."
"Never mind that, is the priest alright?" Kent interrupted, looking around. A moment later, the vestry door creaked open and an aged bishop came out, holding a heavy tome.
"Where is he? I'll show him for invading the shrine..." the old man growled, hefting his divine spellbook. "Oh... you killed him." He turned to Lyn and the others. "Thank you... but blood is devilish to get out of stone. Besides, such pretty young ladies shouldn't be wasting time fighting." He let the book hang from the chain connecting it to his belt, then moved forwards, clasping his hands together.
"What am I, chopped meat?" Sain muttered, scowling.
"It's you in thirty years, Sain! Be more understanding," Rei whispered back, earning her a scowl all of her own.
"As a token of my thanks, you may lay hands upon the Mani Katti." He bent from the knee to pick the sword up from where Glass had dropped it and passed the still sheathed sword to Lyn. Rei peered over, and noted with some surprise that rather than the traditional, heavy curve of Lyn's sword, and those of the nomads she'd seen in Bulgar the sword was much lighter, having only a slight curve. The hilt was longer, too, and bound in leather in a pattern that left diamond-shaped gaps that showed the underlying material of the hilt. The sword had no pommel, either, and the guard was round and only just large enough to protect the thumb and forefinger of the hand gripping the blade. The nomad's swords had heavy pommels, and basket hilts like a cross between a scimitar and a rapier. The Mani Katti, on the other hand...
"The sword of spirits... is a katana?" Rei vocalised her surprise.
"Is it? It is exceptionally crafted, and has much power. It has been a focal point for spiritual energies since the founding of our country." The priest replied.
"This is the style of sword made in my homeland... though without seeing the blade, I couldn't judge it against those blades. Since the Mani Katti was made, there have likely been refinements to the technique..."
Lyn reached out and took the blade gently from the priest's offering hands, and the reaction cut off any further discussion of the blade's heritage. The hilt flashed brightly, and a steady glow spilled from where the scabbard met the guard.
"Oh my..." The priest murmured, enraptured. "The spirits... oh, to meet you... I never thought..."
"What? What does this mean, old-timer?" Sain asked, impatiently.
"The sword has chosen a wielder. My lady, you are the chosen wielder of the Mani Katti, the treasure sword of Sacae."
"What? But... I'm just ordinary... I'm not..." Lyn stammered.
"If you seek proof, just draw the blade from its scabbard. You saw what happens when normal people try." the bishop told her, then took a step back. Lyn frowned, then put her hand on the hilt and drew the sword forth.
"It came out... easily." The blade continued to glow for a moment, before fading to reveal the pattern of the blade. Rei leaned closer, appraisingly, and let out a small gasp.
"It's... beautiful... Spirits, forgive me. I had misjudged your taste... you have chosen a perfect vessel." the tactician whispered in awe.
"Ehm." Lyn coughed, slightly. "Rei... could you... move back a bit? I feel kind of uncomfortable with you drooling over my sword."
Rei blinked, then stepped back, flushing.
"Of... of course. Sorry... it's just..." she shook her head, not trusting herself to speak.
"You have a great destiny ahead of you," the priest began, and waited until everyone was looking at him to continue. "The Mani Katti has only awoken for a very few in the past, and always it has been a time of dire need. Be on your guard, warriors. I am sure that you will need its gifts, and more, by the end of your journey. Good luck. Now, go. I'm sure you have far to travel." With that, he started chivvying them out of the shrine. When they were outside, the door shut behind them.
"He seemed suddenly eager to be rid of us..." Rei muttered, looking back at the door as she unhitched her horse. As the group walked on, she noticed that the woman's body had gone. Hiding her frown, she decided not to mention it. It would only worry Lyn, and the girl had too many worries already.
"Perhaps he simply wished the blade gone before our Great Destiny lead to his Grand Funeral." Sain replied, earning himself another of Kent's looks.
"Do not be so uncharitable. He likely had work to do, that's all," The red knight reprimanded, "and he's right. We do have a long way to go. Caelin is a good month away on horseback."
"Rei..." Lyn started, but the Kanhi islander cut her off.
"If you want me to come along, I will. I know this is important to you, and there's no real reason for me to continue south."
"But your fiancé..."
"Is as likely to be in Lycia as Bern. Here's to hoping we don't find him." The exchange left the two knights looking at each other nonplussed. After a moment, Rei took pity on them.
"Before we ran into you, our plan was to travel into Bern in search of my fiancé. I really don't like the man, however, so the longer I fail to find him, the later I have to marry him. Look down on me if you must, but... I have no wish to give my life where my father decreed it."
"You do not love him? Yet your father wishes you to marry... surely he wishes to act in your best interest?" Kent frowned. "It would be your duty to do as he wishes..."
"The man is a lout, a braggart and a fool. I won't be treated like an object, no matter what my people's customs say! Especially not to... to someone who can't accept who and what I am without seeing it as some kind of illness." She spat the last word, ending her raving tirade and lapsing into sullen, angry silence.
They continued that way for the rest of the day's journey, though Lyn nudged Hunt in between Petal and the knight's horses, as though protecting the outlander.